Toby & Julie BainbridgeBritish & American Vignerons
From a Kansas harvest crew to 8 hectares on the black schist of Anjou—Zero added sulfur, organic and biodynamic, champions of Grolleau and honest Loire wines.
From Protection, Kansas to Chavagnes-les-Eaux—a transatlantic journey to natural wine.
Toby Bainbridge, originally from the UK, and Julie Bainbridge, from Oklahoma, USA, met when Julie found Toby working on a harvest crew in Protection, Kansas. This agricultural exchange sparked both a romance and a shared passion for sustainable farming that would eventually lead them across the Atlantic [^4^][^1^].
By the early 2000s, they had relocated to France. Toby began working with Didier Chaffardon in Anjou, then spent several crucial years as an apprentice and employee of legendary natural winemaker René Mosse. These experiences profoundly shaped their minimalist philosophy. The couple made their first wine in 2007, the same year they welcomed their first son. In 2012, they went out on their own, establishing their eponymous domaine in the village of Chavagnes-les-Eaux, south of Angers [^4^][^6^].
Today, Toby and Julie farm approximately 8 hectares (about 6.5 hectares under vine) on the black schist soils of Anjou. They have built their cellar in Chavagnes-les-Eaux and are known for their shepherding project—Toby's "wooly lawnmowers" that graze between the vines in winter, combatting erosion and managing the ground naturally. They live on their small family estate with their two children, embodying the patient serenity of master craftsmen and the tenacity of neighborhood milkmen [^4^][^12^].
"Light and straightforward"—Zero sulfur, short macerations, and absolute non-intervention.
Toby and Julie's philosophy is one of absolute non-intervention and transparency. All their vineyards are farmed organically (certified by Bureau Veritas) with biodynamic principles employed. They use sheep to manage the vineyards naturally, avoiding machinery where possible and respecting the biodiversity of their land [^1^][^12^].
In the cellar, their approach is radical in its simplicity. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermentations occur spontaneously with indigenous yeasts without any temperature control, and wines are made with zero added sulfur dioxide at any stage—no fining, no filtration. They use neutral vessels exclusively: fiberglass tanks, stainless steel, concrete, and some barrels for certain cuvées. Macerations are generally short to preserve freshness and drinkability [^4^][^12^].
They bottle exclusively as Vin de France, rejecting AOC classification to avoid forcing their wines into prescribed flavor profiles. Their bottles are distinctive: recycled Champagne bottles with crown caps instead of cork. The clear glass allows you to see the wine's true color, and the crown caps eliminate cork taint. As Toby notes, these are wines for immediate pleasure, not for aging or profound contemplation—"light and straightforward wines which offer pleasure and refreshment in their simplicity" [^2^][^12^].
Vin de France
Crown Caps
Black schist bedrock—iron-rich, calcium-rich, drought-resistant soils south of Angers.
Hectares Under Vine
Of their 8 hectares total, approximately 6.5 hectares are planted to vines in and around Chavagnes-les-Eaux. The remaining land supports their shepherding project and plans for olive and fruit trees. All vineyards are certified organic [^4^][^12^].
Black Schist Soils
The vineyards sit on black schist bedrock with thin, iron and calcium-rich sandy topsoils. These drought-resistant soils stress the vines naturally, producing concentrated fruit with mineral character. You can find oyster shells in the soil—a reminder of ancient seas [^4^][^7^].
Natural Management
Sheep graze the vineyards in winter, acting as "wooly lawnmowers" to trim herbs between vines and combat erosion. They plough 100% due to infertile soils but stop early to keep ground temperatures down. Sustainable farming with deep respect for the land [^4^][^16^].
From Les Jongleurs to Rouge aux Lèvres—wines for drinking, not contemplating.
Les Jongleurs
100% Chenin Blanc from vines planted in the 1980s to thin, iron-rich red soils with quartz. Direct press into fiberglass or stainless steel. Indigenous yeast fermentation, no temperature control. Crystal clear, bright, with hints of stonefruit and apricot. Low alcohol (around 12%), malolactic completed. Unfiltered. The name "Jongleurs" refers to medieval entertainers—this wine is all about pleasure [^4^][^7^].
Rouge aux Lèvres
100% Grolleau Noir (Groslot)—potentially from some of the first Grolleau vines planted in the 1980s. Whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration for about 2 weeks with no punch-downs or pump-overs. Light, fresh, berry aromas with soft tannins and juicy goodness. Only 10.5% alcohol. A lip-smacking, picnic-ready red that drinks like a dark rosé. The name translates to "Red on the Lips" [^4^][^7^].
L'Acrobate
100% Grolleau direct-press rosé. Made from 50-year-old vines on iron and calcium-rich sandy soils. Fermented and aged in fiberglass or stainless steel. Super bright, invigorating, with a slightly bitter herb touch on the finish. Very limited production. A tightwire walk of freshness and complexity—hence the name "The Acrobat" [^4^][^6^].
Crush
100% Grolleau with 3-4 days of maceration in fiberglass tank after destemming. Incredibly fresh and vibrant at only 10% alcohol. Six months élevage in stainless/fiberglass. This is glou-glou par excellence—crushable, chuggable, pure joy. No sulfur added. Crown cap sealing preserves the freshness [^4^][^6^].
Cuvée 50:50
50% Grolleau, 50% Cabernet Franc—co-fermented. The Grolleau is raised in fiberglass, the Cabernet Franc made in concrete from vines in deep calcium-rich soils. Destemmed, short maceration (8-10 days). Fresh, lively, with red strawberry fruit from the Cab Franc meeting the juicy lightness of Grolleau. A perfect introduction to their style [^4^][^6^].
Highway 8
100% Cabernet Franc from vines planted in the 1980s on black schist. Semi-carbonic maceration, aged in 400L barrels (50%) and concrete (50%) for a year. Unfined, unfiltered. Fresh, lively, eminently drinkable with red strawberry fruit and subtle green pepper notes. The name references the road that runs through their area. Around 13% alcohol with minimal SO2 (13mg/l) [^4^][^15^].
La Danseuse
Sparkling Grolleau rosé made by méthode champenoise (traditional method). Saignée from the Rouge aux Lèvres ferment. Zero dosage. Disgorged the following spring after harvest. Vibrant pink bubbles with the same fresh berry character as the still wine, but with effervescent lift. Perfect for celebrations or breakfast wine. The name means "The Dancer" [^4^][^7^].
Johnny Popper
Pét-nat Chenin Blanc made by méthode ancestrale. From a mixture of old vines and newer plantings from 2017 on iron-rich sandy soils. Fermented and stabilized over winter, then bottled with frozen juice addition for second fermentation. Named after their son Johnny (born 2007, the year they made their first wine). Light, cloudy, juicy bubbles [^4^][^16^].
Girl on Fire
Sparkling Cabernet Franc rosé made by méthode ancestrale. Hand-harvested by a team led by Julie. Direct press into fiberglass, fermented and stabilized over winter. Light pink, very low pressure (lightly sparkling), with notes of white peaches. Julie donates €1 per bottle to Solidarité Femmes, which assists women who are victims of violence. Less than 1000 bottles produced annually [^4^][^7^].
Champ de Croix
100% Pinot Noir from young vines (6 years old) planted to a single parcel of less than 1 hectare. Whole cluster maceration for about 2 weeks without intervention. Sand/gravel plot with black schist and limestone bedrock. Fermented quickly, malolactic completed, aged in barrel for a year, topped up regularly with Grolleau to prevent oxidation. Only 11.5% alcohol, 19mg/l SO2. Rare and highly allocated [^4^][^23^].
Aurora / Odette
Experimental Chenin Blanc cuvées exploring different vessels. Aurora is aged in concrete for extended periods (1 year), creating a wine of structure and depth. Odette is fermented in tank then transferred to barrel by gravity, topped up regularly. Both show the crystalline brightness of Anjou Chenin with different textural profiles. Small quantities, vintage dependent [^4^].
The Shepherd Vignerons
Toby and Julie Bainbridge represent a new wave of international natural winemakers in the Loire—Toby British, Julie American, making wines that are distinctly Anjou in character but global in outlook. Their choice to reject AOC status while maintaining rigorous organic certification speaks to a pragmatic radicalism: they won't compromise their wine's personality for bureaucratic approval, yet they maintain the highest standards in the vineyard [^2^][^12^].
Their commitment to Grolleau—a variety often dismissed as inferior, suitable only for rosé d'Anjou—demonstrates their ability to see quality where others see quantity. Through careful farming on schist soils and sensitive cellar work, they produce Grolleau wines of seriousness and pleasure: light in alcohol but not in character. Their use of recycled Champagne bottles with crown caps is both ecological and aesthetic—transparent in every sense, allowing the wine to speak without the ritual of corks. With their sheep grazing between vines and their donation of proceeds from "Girl on Fire" to support victims of violence, they embody the ethos of community and care that defines the best of natural wine culture [^4^][^16^].
- Founded: 2012 (first wine 2007)
- Location: Chavagnes-les-Eaux, Anjou
- Size: 8 hectares (6.5ha vines)
- Soil: Black schist, iron/calcium sand
- Certified: Organic (Bureau Veritas)
- Biodynamic principles employed
- Sheep for natural vineyard management
- Mentors: René Mosse, Didier Chaffardon
- Zero added sulfur (absolute)
- No fining, no filtration
- Indigenous yeasts only
- Neutral vessels: fiberglass, steel, concrete
- Recycled Champagne bottles, crown caps
- Vin de France (no AOC)
- Short macerations for freshness
- Varieties: Grolleau, Chenin, Cab Franc
- Pinot Noir (rare), some Gamay
- Méthode champenoise & ancestrale
- Julie: Oklahoma native, harvest leader
- Toby: British expat, former Mosse assistant